A Storm In A Teacup
by Aquamonkey
Summary: Smoke has lost it, and Kara is getting the brunt of it. Raiden comes to her rescue, but instead of being grateful, she is left angered and confused. Raiden becomes her protector, but Kara feels she doesn't need one. *Rated M for bad language, mentions of domestic violence/violent scenes* Slow burner romance.
1. When Push Comes To Shove

*Kara is an OC. Her and Smoke's relationship is from my Clouded Visions one-shot*

A Storm In A Teacup

When Push Comes To Shove

Kara sat, tears streaming down her face. She tried to stand but she couldn't.

It had all gone wrong. Everything with Smoke had gone terribly wrong.

He screamed and shouted at her to leave him. That she was a mistake, and that he should never have formed a relationship with her. And she couldn't form any words to say back to him. All she did was back up against the wall of their bedroom and squat, with her head in her hands. He stormed off and left the temple.

And now? Her eyes hurt, her body ached, even breathing hurt. She had been crying for hours and felt exhausted. She lay on her bed and grumbled when her nose began to run, again. She, reluctantly had to get up.

* * *

After a few hours of drifting in and out of sleep, Kara heard Smoke's voice and he was very angry. He walked into the room and rifled through her cabinet. One by one, he threw her clothes away, into her old, tattered grey gym bag that she had gotten years ago. Kara tried to keep from sobbing, but her muffled attempts only served to make Smoke laugh.

"Why are you crying? Stop being pitiful. I don't feel sorry for you".

Kara pleaded with him, her confused mind barely registered the gravity of the situation she was in.

"Why Tomas, why? You've been like this since the Grand Master, Cyrax and Sektor went missing. What have I done to deserve your anger?"

Smoke said nothing. He picked her up by her hair and yanked her forward, tearing some of her hair out. Kara screamed, and was smacked in the face by Smoke's knee. He let go and her nose began to stream blood. She fell onto the ground and frantically reached out for something, anything to put under her nose.

Smoke's tone spat venom. Kara knew why the disappearances of their fellow clan members and leader would upset him, but she did not understand why he was abusing her.

"Cyrax and Sektor never liked you, now I see why. All you are is trouble. Did you kill them? You were the only one missing when they disappeared, and I know how you can get when you are angry".

Kara had found one of her white shirts, and choked out a laugh.

"Me? You are the one hurting me! Stop it. I knew you could be stubborn but...". She began crying again. "But I never saw this coming. And of course I didn't kill them. I don't kill, you should know that. If you are so adamant that I did something, then take me to me Father. He knows me better than you, so he will know if I am lying or not".

Smoke tutted.

"Your Father would be biased, I cannot trust him. Kara, look at me".

When she refused too, he kicked her ribs and she fell onto her side, facing him.

"I said, LOOK AT ME. You asinine little girl. You will never blind me again. Tell me, where are they?"

Kara couldn't bear to look at him, but she knew she had too.

"They aren't dead, I can sense that. But I can't feel them outside of here. It's like they have vanished off the face of the earth. Are the other leaders here?"

Smoke shook his head.

"No".

"That cannot be coincidental. Didn't they have this, plan? I was never told what it was. But, it's funny that they mention this, and then people start disappearing. Tomas, what if they did something?"

He looked at her, and his eyes darkened. His eyes were taken over my an almost pitch blackness.

"How dare you accuse the masters of treachery! You have the audacity to accuse them? Your powers mean you can shield your actions, and your mind. So tell me, did you do something to Sektor, Cyrax and Sub-Zero?"

Kara huffed and shuffled backwards.

"NO! By the Elder Gods, listen to me! You've, oh Gods. You've done this before! Why did I stay with you? Is this my punishment for staying? You thinking I am a liar and beating me up? You should be out there, searching for them!"

Smoke surrounded himself in a dense fog, granite coloured and so thick, Kara struggled to see him.

"You do not get to tell what to do".

She used her mind to thin the smoke. When she saw Tomas' smug face, she stood up and punched him. He stumbled backwards and went to hit her.

A loud boom of thunder was heard and Kara clenched her eyes shut, bracing herself for a punch...

But nothing came. When she opened her eyes, she saw Lord Raiden, who was gripping onto Smoke's throat. When the smoke cleared, he looked at her. When he saw her swollen cheeks, a vivid purple shade, bleeding nose, and bloody lip, lightning surged through his body, and he lit up a brilliant azure. He shocked Smoke several times, before throwing him out of the window opposite him.

Kara looked on, in part shock, another horror.

"Lord Raiden? What are you doing here? No, stop! Tomas doesn't know what he's doing".

Raiden looked to her, and shook his head.

"That does not excuse his behavior. He deserves to be punished".

Kara saw him teleport outside and heard screeching.

She passed out, unaware of her or Smoke's fate.

* * *

Raiden kept on shocking Smoke, who cried out until he lost his voice.

Before he died, he rasped out:

"Is Kara innocent?"

Raiden nodded.

"Yes, she has nothing to do with the disappearances. You gave in to the anger inside you, and you hurt an innocent woman, and that cannot be forgiven. I know you have always had a violent streak, since the priests who sacrificed you, and you became an Enenra, but you should never have harmed the one person who would have done anything for you. May the Elder Gods watch over you".

Smoke saw flashes of blue fury and in the blink of an eye, he was dead.

Raiden sighed and returned to Kara.

* * *

Kara was unconscious. Raiden checked her pulse and picked her up.

He teleported to Outworld, and lay her down on the spare bed of his home. He healed her injuries and went off to find her Mother.

When he could not find her, he sent up a signature. A lightning bolt, high up, into the sky, which would remain there, until Tiama saw it and took notice.

When he returned to Kara, he found her awake and crying.

She needed her parents more than she needed he, but it was then that Raiden decided that it would have to be he who protected her, shielded her from the perils of this world, and from the people who would do her harm.

Kara needed a protector, and now, she had one.


	2. Little Girl, Big World

*If Raiden ends up in any way OOC, then I sincerely apologise. I am writing him in situations that I have never seen him in in-game, so I am going off of how he speaks, and his demeanor here*

Little Girl, Big World

Kara scurried back when she spotted the thunder God, and her eyes were blown wide with fear.

"Stay...stay away from me!"

Raiden was confused, but chose to stay where he stood. Kara was not in her right mind, and did not need anyone else approaching her, even if it were someone trying to comfort her.

"Why are your eyes red? They look demonic. Please, just go away".

The Elder God walked away and went to his chambers. Looking into his bathroom mirror confirmed that is eyes were indeed red, and not their usual, serene blue.

_No wonder I frightened her. _

He sighed. His anger at Smoke had gotten the better of him, and now, his dark Raiden eyes, demeanor and posture were all too apparent. His powers were amplified, his senses heightened.

So when he heard running, and then a series of loud thumping sounds outside of his spare room, he cursed internally and left his room.

* * *

Kara had tried to run away, but she stumbled over a futon, which was to the left of the staircase. She went hurtling down the stairs, and landed awkwardly on the wooden floor of the living room. She groaned and held her ribcage. The skin dipped in, and felt squishy. She couldn't feel the ribs on her right side.

Raiden stood, at the top of the staircase, and was about to descend, when Kara's Mother, Tiama, and her Father, Jakal burst into his home and ran over to their daughter. Jakal took one look at Raiden and put two and two together.

Unfortunately, he got three. He read the situation wrong.

"Raiden? Did you do this? Oh Gods, KARA!"

Kara couldn't move at all. Her fingers started to feel numb, and stabbing pains filled her chest and stomach.

Tiama chided her husband.

"How dare you accuse Lord Raiden of harming our daughter! Honestly Jin, behave. We need to heal Kara. She has four broken ribs, her nose is fractured, and she is bruised all over. We cannot wait any longer".

Tiama picked Kara up, not without her screeching, and her skin became a deathly pale shade. She walked upstairs and lay her down in the bedroom that she so desperately tried to escape only moments ago.

* * *

Jakal approached Raiden, and felt ashamed.

"Lord Raiden, I should never have assumed that you would hurt Kara".

Raiden shook his head.

"I would not do that. She ran because she was scared of my eyes".

Jakal was a little unsure of what the thunder God meant. Raiden picked up on this.

"My eyes are usually blue. They are affected by situations, and, Kara should be the one to tell you this but, I had to murder Smoke. He was beating her, and I had to stop it. I could not stand by and do nothing".

The Lin Quei general was stunned. Anger flooded his veins, making him punch the nearest wall to him.

All of his knuckles clicked, and his hand throbbed with pain, but he was not focused on that.

"Gods, I should have seen that coming. Smoke always had a temper, but it never flared up around Kara. He behaved around her. I was wrong to ever trust him around her. So Tomas is dead, good. My wife won't approve of me saying that, but it would be much worse if I had killed him, and not you. I must go, tend to Kara. Thank you though, Lord Raiden. Despite Kara's wanting to get out of here, her raucous behavior, she gets that from me". He laughed. "I cannot thank you enough".

Raiden nodded and let Jakal past him.

* * *

Raiden walked outside, onto his room's balcony and breathed in the cool autumn air. He scanned his garden to see all of the carnelian, ruby and brown leaves scattered about it. He was worried for Kara's safety.

_Cyrax, Sektor, Sub-Zero missing, Smoke dead. Kara may have her parents, but they are always away. _

_If Kara is to survive, I must help her to hone her abilities, her telepathy, and telekinesis are invaluable skills. _

_I don't think you know of the danger, do you. Kara?_

The God returned to his bathroom and a small smile quirked his mouth when he saw that his eyes were back to their crackling, dazzling blue, and he no longer felt irascible. With his age came wisdom, but also frustration. No matter what he did, for the good of humanity, something, or someone would always ruin everything and make it seem like he had not bothered, not given his full attention to the problems. Earthrealm had just about won the last tournament, but suffered heavy losses. Many fighters, and innocent, unarmed people were slaughtered, and Raiden couldn't help but feel responsible.

If he could save just one person, then he would.

He would fight for, and with the demi-Goddess in his home right now with everything he had.

* * *

Tiama had finished healing her daughter, and called upon Raiden. But the look in her eyes, and the tone of her voice implied something that he did not wish to see, nor hear.

"Kara will be okay, but, she will need to rest for at least a few days. She has suffered terribly. Jin told me about what happened, and I feel embittered, powerless. Please, take care of her. It seems that neither of us are good enough to, and we are her parents, for Gods sake. No doubt when she is able to walk again she will be out of you hair. I know she can be a bit overbearing, she gets that from Jin. But she is also compassionate and affectionate, she just doesn't show that. After being herself with Smoke, I fear, after what had happened, she may become somewhat of a burden on you. No one wants that to happen. So when she is fully recovered, I shall take her home".

She looked to Kara, who was fast asleep.

"She may wake up, but she will be fine. When she wakes, if she needs to move, she can, but only if it is completely necessary. If not, then do not let her. Kara, don't be stubborn with Lord Raiden. He, like your Father and I only has your best interests at heart. I will see you tomorrow. Goodbye Lord Raiden".

Raiden bowed his head.

"Farewell, Lady Tiama".

Tiama left his home, with Jakal in tow.

* * *

Sleep did not come easy for Raiden, all he could sense was the imbalance in Kara's aura, and it disturbed him. He chose to get up, and go back onto the balcony.

Whimpers alerted him, and they came from the spare room. He walked in there as quietly as possible, and saw Kara flinching, her eyelids were flickering rather violently and her whimpering grew louder. She shot up, making the God panic. But it seemed that she was still asleep. All she did was grab one of his hands with hers, drop it and then lay back down. Raiden shook his head of the confusion he felt and moved the covers that had been mussed up, so they were covering her again.

He left the room and managed to fall asleep, when, he did not know.

* * *

_A cloud of smoke surrounded him, and he turned in a circle, unable to see anyone. The air grew thick, heavy, and it made his chest heave. He coughed a few times. Something out of the corner of his eyes was coming towards him, and he tried to move out of the way._

_But he was rooted to the spot on the ground, and his powers did not work. _

_A grey mass flew at him, and..._

Raiden woke up with a start, and cursed. The sun hadn't risen yet, it was far too early to be even thinking of getting up, but he entertained the thought.

He turned over and felt a bead of sweat roll off his forehead and onto the pillow beneath him. He rubbed his eyes and scrunched them up.

_Looking after Kara, nightmares, no sleep._

_This won't be easy._

_Then again, is anything easy anymore? _

Raiden just lay there and hoped that sleep would come soon.


	3. At Your Service

At Your Service

Kara woke up, sore and pissed off. She remembered vividly what transpired the night before.

Smoke pummeling her, she assumed that Raiden pummeled him in return, and may have even killed him. Her, flying down the stairs...everything had started merging into one another, and it made her upset.

Her eyes stung from the sunlight, beaming through the gaps in the blinds. She went to get up, but shooting pains in her ribcage stopped her. She grunted and tried again to shift her weight. She needed the toilet, badly, but her body just didn't want to move.

_Oh Gods, I am going to have to degrade myself. Why oh why did I have to be clumsy and foolish? _

"Lord Raiden? I need some help".

Raiden heard her and knocked before entering. Kara suppressed a laugh, for the sake of her ribs.

"You don't need to knock. It's your home".

Raiden shook his head.

"It may well be, but common courtesy is to not simply barge in on someone, especially a guest".

Kara felt a smile wish to place itself upon her lips, but she foiled it.

"Well then, that's nice. Look, I won't beat around the bush here. I need to use the bathroom, but I can't get up. I think I'll be fine once I am up, it's just the getting up part that I am unable to do. Can you take my hands, help me up, please?"

The God nodded and walked closer to her. He then took her hands and helped her up.

Kara could have sworn she pulled some pained faces when Raiden helped her up, but she really did not care.

"Thanks. Where is the bathroom?"

Raiden gestured behind him.

"Directly opposite this room. Be careful, I promised your Mother that I would not let you get up unless it was absolutely necessary".

Kara scoffed.

"Mother is being overly careful. I will be fine, just a little bruised is all".

Raiden sighed at her resolution.

"No, she is being wise. It may not seem like that now, but it is a wise move to be wary, especially after the events that have happened recently".

Kara took that in, but decided not to answer. She ambled past him and into the bathroom.

* * *

What she saw when she lifted up her black tank top was horrifying.

The entirety of her abdomen and stomach was covered in a dark purple, raised bruise, and some cuts littered her skin.

Her face was swollen and red, she looked like she has been stung by a whole hive of bees.

And Gods, did she feel grotesque. She looked like an extra from a horror movie, the victim of some merciless killer, who likely resided in someone's basement, or attic.

_Raiden saw this, and didn't run away, screaming? I know he is well mannered, but still...I look disgusting, and all because of my recklessness, and...Smoke._

Kara cursed, her pained whisper was a whisper for a reason. She was crying again.

She heard footfalls outside the bathroom door, and she opened it to face the thunder God.

"Raiden, did you kill Smoke?"

He nodded, and his expression became mournful.

Kara took one look at him, and then started punching his chest, beating it with barely any force, but just enough to get her point across.

"Why? I know he did wrong but, surely killing him is doing wrong too?"

Raiden refused to look at her. He took no pleasure in killing, and no pleasure would be taken from seeing someone break in front of him, and all because of _his _actions.

"Kara, I am sorry, but you must understand. This isn't the first time he has done this, is it?"

Kara stopped hitting him and sulked.

"No. He has done this twice. I knew he was spirited, dedicated, and passionate, but. Well, I guess I never got it into my thick skull that maybe, just maybe, he would try to cave my head in, smash my ribs, effectively killing me in the process. I, I shouldn't have hit you. Gods, if my parents could see me now, they'd be wondering why I was so clueless".

Raiden's facial expression changed. He now looked relaxed, more comfortable with the conversation.

"Kara, you were not the only one around who should have noticed the signs. You certainly are not dumb, or thick. When you care for someone, you can end up glossing over the truth, you hide it from others, keep up a facade. I believe that is why no one saw this coming, not just you".

Kara knew he was right.

"You're okay, I don't think you get told that enough. I want to get back to bed though, maybe try and eat something later. Is Mother coming back?"

The God nodded.

"Good, I should be out of here soon. I will wait until the bruises have stopped hurting, and I can think straight. It's odd though. I should be sobbing, or at least mourning, but I just can't. All that I can think of when I think of Smoke is how he hurt me. I can no longer see any of the good times we had. I don't have anything happy left, no fond memories, nothing".

Raiden wished he knew what to say, but he really didn't. He knew that when all of the emotions and mental strain hit Kara, it would render her a mess, a torn, fragile thing with no hope.

He simply patted her on the shoulder and moved past her, to walk down the stairs.

Kara went back into her room, and despite sleeping for a good eight or so hours, she fell asleep almost instantly.

* * *

Raiden ended up falling asleep on the couch due to his sleep being disturbed the night before. Kara had her own worries, so he did not wish to worry her further with his problems. He did not need insomnia to add to the list of his worries. The list was far too long already...

A gentle rapping on his front door did not wake him, but a second, much louder knock did. He stood up, and had to steady himself, as his sleep had been deep, and so had made him feel a little out of it now.

He opened the door to find Tiama, with a few bags in her hands, and Jin who knew that Raiden was still half asleep. Tiama walked into the house and gave the bags to Jin, who walked up the stairs.

"Lord Raiden, sleep if you need too. I will make you some food later, and take care of the chores. It's the least I can do. We will attend to Kara as well, we do not want her to impact too much on your life".

Raiden was too tired to even reply. He just went upstairs, just about made it into his room and passed out.

* * *

Raiden and Kara awoke sometime in the early afternoon, and both felt much better. Jin helped her up and downstairs, to the lovely smell of chicken.

She sat next to the God, who nodded to her. They were all given huge bowls of chicken noodle soup, and some bread.

"I never thought you would be this hospitable".

Tiama shot a look at Kara, but she continued.

"Not that I thought you would be horrible or anything. I have never seen you in company with anyone other than kombatants, so I wasn't sure how you would be with a lodger".

Raiden chuckled, and Tiama calmed down.

"Thought I would be some old curmudgeon?"

Kara giggled.

"Of course not. Okay, you are old compared to me, or anyone else in the room but, that doesn't mean that I think you are grouchy".

Tiama again glared at her daughter, and then her husband when he snickered, and snorted into his mug of tea.

She needn't have worried though, Raiden wasn't offended in the slightest. In fact, he agreed with her. He _could _grouchy, but no one ever saw that. All they saw was the staunch resolve of a God who had been around for so long, that he had seen generations of fighters, and mentored many of them. But never simply one. Even with Liu Kang, he also helped Kung Lao, Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage. Having one fighter whom he wasn't even sure if she even needed his help was an odd prospect.

Still, he would do all he could to keep Kara and Earthrealm safe. But he was only one man, and if he were called away, Kara could end up being killed. The forces behind the Lin Quei troubles were indomitable, and although Tiama was a tough woman, mentally and her powers were a force to be reckoned with, and Jakal was physically strong, but neither could shield their daughter for long.

Raiden felt like cursing. His mind was making the situation much worse than it was now, and that was not right, nor fair for the Amakura family.

He jolted out of his reverie when Kara took his bowl of noodles. It was half full, and now stone cold, and he apologised.

"Tiama, I'm sorry. I have much on my mind, I am trying to process even more chaos, when I believed that maybe, just maybe things could not get any worse".

Tiama shook her head.

"You have much on your back, Lord Raiden. You may need to share that load. You believe in us, we are strong, and united, we can stop this heinous force. I know what happened to Sub-Zero, Sektor and Cyrax. They were turned into robot units, 'upgraded' to stop them if they wanted to disobey their masters".

Kara put down the bowl, and sat down. She couldn't stop shaking her head.

"But they were brazen enough to do that to our grand master!"

Tiama sighed.

"Think about it. You all listened to Sub-Zero, obeyed his orders, now if he too were a robot unit, then theoretically, you would all listen to him again, right?"

Jin nodded.

"And that is another reason why I love you, Tiama, you think about everything. Mull over all the information, before coming to a conclusion. Unlike me, who would just get angry. Why do I get angry again?"

Tiama laughed.

"You get angry because you are passionate about things, and this is your clan I am talking about, so you have every right to be angry. Kara, are you finished with you meal?"

Kara put all of the bowls in the sink.

"Ugh, Mother, you overfeed me. I'll have to train even harder just to shift this belly".

Raiden and Tiama both interjected.

"I think not Kara, not with those injuries".

"Tiama is right. If you do train, it will be with your mind. I will devise a series to tests to see how powerful your abilities really are".

Kara smirked.

"Oh really? Test me then".

Raiden chuckled and sent a small bolt of lightning towards her. Kara made it vanish and then proceeded to lift him up, with her index finger. Tiama gasped out loud and sat the God back down. Jin was laughing and clutching his stomach.

"That's my girl. Tiama, Kara was just playing. She wouldn't hurt Raiden, you should know that. Besides, when you were her age, I bet you were playful with your telekinesis. If I had that, I know what I'd do".

Jin gave his wife a wolfish grin and she went bright red.

"Gods, you can be insufferable sometimes. Come on, the plates are washed, so I think we should take our leave. Kara? The bruising will go down in a week or so, then I shall come and bring you back home. Thanks again, Lord Raiden".

Raiden stood and walked behind the couple to the entrance door.

"Please, it's Raiden. You do not need to call me lord. I know you respect me, and I must apologise for taking away your Goddess status".

Tiama smiled, but it was a forced one.

"I broke the kommandments, so I was demoted. That is only fair. I do not blame or hate you for it. Kara, take care, and look after Raiden as well as yourself. Just send up an energy ball when you are ready to leave, and I shall return. Goodbye Kara".

Kara tentatively hugged her Mother and Father.

"Bye sweetheart".

Her parents left and Raiden shut the door.

* * *

Kara say down on the couch and pushed out her now very large stomach. She ate too much food. Then again, she hadn't eaten anything for over a day, so she supposed that it was acceptable to eat so much.

Raiden sat near her, on his armchair.

"Was _that_ really a test earlier? Come on, I know you can try much harder than that. I may have bruises, and be licking my wounds, but I am no shrinking violet. Try again, I don't even count that little bolt as passable for a test".

Raiden sighed, and looked at her.

He saw a fire light up in her eyes. She meant what she had just said.

But could he really hit her?

_Only one way to find out. _

_Kara, please block this, or I will have more to worry about than just your bruises._

Raiden's eyes glittered like sapphires, and a huge bolt of lightning shot from his hands and towards Kara. She created a shield around herself, but a millisecond too late. A fraction of the bolt hit her, and made her hair stick out, in every direction you could think of.

Kara let down the shield, felt her hair and burst out laughing. Raiden began laughing too, like he hadn't for a long time.

Her laugh died down and she smiled, a genuine, happy smile. The first since she had come here, two days ago.

"Er, I take it you practice your powers for fun? As I see no board games, or TV, so, oh!"

A cat walked into the room, and started rubbing it's sides on Kara's legs.

"Ah, so you do have something to entertain you. What's it's name?"

"Her name is Farren, it means thunder in Gaelic. And she is rather lazy. I am surprised she even got up to greet you".

Kara giggled.

"She sounds like a friend I used to have. All she did was laze around, if she even got out of bed, it would be a miracle. Then it turned out that she was ill, and she couldn't really get up. I judged her for being a slacker, but I never even knew until a few days before she died that she couldn't help it. I guess what I am trying to say is that...I barely know you, I barely knew her really, but I judged, and I shouldn't have. So I won't judge you, or make assumptions. If I ever act out of turn, just say stop it. Hello there, Farren. Aw, she kinds looks like you, if that makes any sense".

Raiden chuckled. Farren did look like him a little. She had bright blue eyes, and what looked like a mane of white fur around her head.

"I like her. I used to have a cat, well it wasn't mine, but it came by and visited us a few times a week. Just to get fed again probably, the greedy thing. Haha. Anyway, I am going to go upstairs, and I don't know, sketch the garden? Or maybe I will write something. Okay, night Farren. Goodnight Raiden".

Kara got up and walked up the stairs.

* * *

Raiden couldn't help but feel that Kara was a little uncomfortable in his presence.

_Well I am much older than her, and so we have nothing in common, so that's likely the cause._

He stood up and decided to take a walk around the garden.

* * *

Kara was bored, and looked out of the window.

The garden was very pretty in her opinion, and so she decided to take a walk through it.

_Who knows, maybe I will find some clarity out there._

_Or, hopefully, the winds will carry away my sorrow. I don't want to feel it anymore._

* * *

*Nice Raiden for the win? I hope I am not clutching at straws here*


	4. Fields Of Gold

Fields Of Gold

Kara walked out, into the garden and smiled. The cool breeze was perfect, not chilly, despite the current season. She looked around all of the garden, taking in it's autumnal beauty. Leaves gently blew around her, and the ground was littered with them. She decided to move them all into a pile with her telekinesis. Raiden spotted her, sweeping the leaves away. She turned when she was done and smiled.

"I know you are there. I don't need to be psychic to know that. And before you say I shouldn't be up, I couldn't sleep".

Raiden sighed.

"I wasn't going to berate you".

Kara sighed.

"'I'm sorry. I guess I am just waiting to be told off. Whenever I do my own thing, it usually backfires, so my parents get to say, 'I told you so'. I just didn't want to hear that again".

Raiden tilted his head.

"What has gone wrong?"

Kara looked to the pile of leaves, which now had diminished, it was a fraction of the size it was moments ago. She pointed to it.

"I am clearly still out of it. _That_ has gone wrong. I tried to tidy up, but the wind has rendered my work futile. I can't stand just sitting around. I know I am injured but I want to train. I am not tired in the slightest, and I want to at least do something".

The Elder God did not know what to do, and with his uncertainty came dark, ominous looking clouds in the sky. The young woman frowned.

"I'll go back inside. I can see how much of an effect my disobeying you is having. I will try and sleep. Goodnight Raiden".

Raiden huffed, white smoke came out of his nostrils, much to Kara's chagrin.

"I am not used to having company, is all. I will try to not turn into a third parental figure. I highly doubt you need another of those. How are your ribs? Your face looks to have healed nicely".

Kara shrugged.

"They feel fine. And you can check you know, with that 'aura' you have. I won't bite your head off".

Raiden checked her over, and sure enough, her ribs were indeed fixed, and her nose was healing. He smiled.

"I don't even know hoe you can stand to look at me. I look like I went ten rounds with a hoard of Tarkatan, managed to keep all of my limbs, but my face, and body tell another story".

More white smoke escaped the God's nostrils as he exhaled.

"I should have gotten there sooner".

Kara put her hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.

It did not reassure him though. What was preying on his mind was if he _hadn't _have gotten there in time to stop Smoke from grounding Kara's entrails into the carpet and hitting her with her own severed limbs.

He had known the young Lin Quei since she was a baby. Watched her grow up, watched her stumble, only to regain her footing and try again.

When she cried, when she laughed, smiled. Those times of happiness and despair, and of utter despair right now, were mixing together, in a pool of poignancy. And not just for him.

Kara now, saddened him a little. Now? She hid her feelings, and only ever cried twice in front of him. She barely smiled, and if she did, nine times out of ten, it would be a forced smile. One to tell the world's prying eyes that she was happy.

He did not wish to pry, he never had been the type too. But when someone under his wing was struggling to hold on, above violent waves of self loathing and never quite feeling good enough, he couldn't help but want to help them. Help _her. _

Kara waved her hand in front of him, and he gave a small nod.

"I shall retire to bed. You may do as you wish, know that. I will not berate you unless I feel it necessary".

Her mouth quirked the minutest amount upwards, and she patted his back.

"I'll be okay. I don't think you get enough credit for what you do. You deal with affairs in Earthrealm and Outworld. Also with the other Gods. You train fighters, fight yourself. You always come out on the other side. Perhaps a little worse for wear, but you've survived many conflicts and saved many people. I am grateful that you saved me, but I wish to go home. I want you to have a little peace in your life, maybe a sense of normality. And I am certainly not a peaceful, nor normal person".

Raiden smirked.

"As a God, I assume that I cannot be normal, nor have normality in my life?"

Kara smirked back.

"Please. You are a God, THE god. The eldest, strongest, most formidable God in all of existence. People would kiss the very ground you walk on if you wanted them too. You are anything but normal. You are extraordinary, and the fact that you want anything to do with me is astounding".

The thunder God's smirk faded and he looked rather glum.

"Don't remind me. I have seen many miserable sights, witnessed pointless wars started over trivial things. I have centuries of memories, and yet, I am lonely. I know I am not supposed to feel that. I am not even sure that I am suppose to feel anything. If the people ever found out, then I may appear as nothing more than a glowing failure of a man, who couldn't even protect any of them".

Kara stunned the God by wrapping her arms around him. The hug was not returned and became awkward, so she moved away.

"You never have been, nor will be a failure. And besides. Your glow helped many out of a darkness that they never saw an ending too. You are a beacon of hope, and light for many. It must be a huge burden, and if I can, I wish to share some of that. And whilst I am here, and when I return, you will no longer feel lonely, that I swear".

She walked away, and just about heard the God's reply.

"Return? You wish to come back here?"

Kara smirked and when she got to her room, she looked over the balcony at him.

"Of course. You still owe me a fight".

Raiden chuckled and went back inside his home.

* * *

Kara got changed into her pajamas and found herself grinning.

_For an old man, he's alright._

_Did I just call Raiden old? Oh Gods._

She laughed into her pillow for quite some time before falling asleep.


End file.
